Japanese Clubs Struggle To Match Saudi Spending Power, Says Skibbe

Vissel Kobe head coach Michael Skibbe has questioned whether Japanese clubs can realistically compete with the financial might of teams from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf leagues following his side’s elimination from the AFC Champions League Elite.

Kobe were defeated by defending champions Al-Ahli in the semi-finals, with the Saudi side overturning an early lead to secure victory. Goals from Galeno and Ivan Toney cancelled out Yoshinori Muto’s opener, underlining the depth and quality within the Al-Ahli squad.

Skibbe pointed to the growing financial disparity between Asian football in the east and the west as a decisive factor.

“The gap in quality is linked to financial power,” he said. “Clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar can invest heavily in top players from Europe and South America, while we are losing our best talents to Europe.”

The balance of power in Asian football has shifted markedly in recent years, particularly since Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund invested heavily in leading domestic clubs. This has enabled teams to recruit world-class players such as Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kanté, significantly raising the league’s profile and competitiveness.

Despite this, Saudi dominance has not been absolute. Al-Hilal were eliminated earlier in the competition, while Japanese side Machida Zelvia progressed impressively to the semi-finals.

Al-Ahli now aim to secure back-to-back titles, a feat last achieved by Al-Ittihad in 2005. However, head coach Matthias Jaissle insists his focus remains solely on his own team’s performance rather than historical comparisons.

“We are concentrating on ourselves,” he said. “Winning consecutive titles would be special, but simply reaching this stage is already a significant achievement.”